This study aims to explore the influence of role stress (role ambiguity and role conflict) on job burnout and job performance in construction project managers in the Chinese construction industry. Based on the JD-R (Job Demands Resources) model, this study introduces career calling as the moderating variable, in order to develop a theoretical model. The theoretical model is then tested with structural equation modeling. This work uses data from 191 owners, contractors, subcontractors, and supervisors in the Chinese construction industry. The results indicate that: (i) role ambiguity has a negative and significant effect on job burnout and job performance; (ii) role conflict has a negative effect on job burnout, but has a non-significant influence on job performance; (iii) job burnout has a negative impact on job performance; (iv) career calling negatively moderates the relationship between role ambiguity and job burnout, and positively moderates the relationship between role conflict and job performance. Furthermore, the results also show that career calling can positively moderate the effect of role conflict on job burnout. This study expands the existing body of knowledge by reasonably controlling role stress and appropriately introducing career calling. In addition, the study provides some suggestions relevant to construction project management.

With the increasing importance of leadership in project-based organizations, innovation is essential for the sustainable development of construction projects. Since few studies have explored the relationship between leadership and innovation in construction projects, this study fills this research gap and makes a significant theoretical contribution to the existing body of literature. Based on a knowledge-rated and resource-based view, this study aims to investigate various effects of different types of leadership on innovation performance in a construction project-based organization. Therefore, a theoretical model was constructed to explore the mediation mechanism and boundary condition of different types of leadership to improve innovation. The theoretical model was validated with empirical data covering project managers and engineers from the project-based organization in China via regression analysis and path analysis. The results show that transformational leadership and transactional leadership have some positively significant effects on knowledge sharing and innovation performance. Meanwhile, knowledge sharing partially mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and/or transactional leadership and innovation performance. Additionally, by considering different levels of social capital, transformational leadership is likely to have a strong positive impact on innovation performance through knowledge sharing. Our findings ensure a better understanding of the role of leadership, knowledge management, and social capital in the innovation process of construction projects. Therefore, project managers should promote a higher stimulation of a leadership behavior, encouraging knowledge management, and establishing the social capital, thus improving the innovation performance in the project-based organizations in construction projects.

In China, dockless bike-sharing programs (DBSPs) play a significant role in promoting the goals of sustainable urban travel and carbon emissions reduction. However, the sustainability of DBSPs is increasingly being challenged as various issues associated with different stakeholders emerge. While numerous studies have focused on the barriers to traditional bike-sharing programs, the sustainability performance of new-generation DBSPs is largely overlooked. It is accordingly imperative to understand the primary challenges that impede the sustainability of DBSPs and to consider what stimulative measures can be taken. In this study, we investigate the factors that are critical to DBSPs’ sustainability from a network perspective. Stakeholder-associated factors and their interrelations were identified via literature analysis and interviews, and the social network analysis (SNA) method was employed to recognize the critical factors and links in DBSPs. As a result, 10 critical factors and 10 major interactions were identified and further classified into six challenges. Sharing transport schemes, legislative perfection, public private partnership (PPP), and product lifecycle management (PLM) were proposed to govern these challenges. This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge of bike-sharing programs via a network approach that integrates the key influencing factors with those factors’ associated stakeholders. Furthermore, these findings provide the government and operators with implications for mitigating the tough challenges and facilitating the sustainability of DBSPs.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the influence of contractual flexibility on different types of conflict, determine if contractual flexibility is significantly correlated with project success between contracting parties, verify the mediating effect of project conflicts on the relationship between contractual flexibility and project success and examine the relationship between different types of conflicts and project success in megaprojects.Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical model was developed and a structured questionnaire survey was conducted with 468 professionals. The structural equation modeling technique was used to analyze the data.Findings: The results showed that both types of contractual flexibility – term and process flexibility – were correlated with and significantly positively affected project success, and term flexibility was found to have a greater influence. The introduction of project conflicts significantly weakened the relationship between contractual flexibility and project success, verifying the partial mediating effect of conflicts. All types of project conflicts play a destructive role in achieving project success; relationship conflict had the largest negative effect. Contractual flexibility affects two paths with respect to project success: the direct path (contractual flexibility → project success) and the indirect path (contractual flexibility → conflict → project success). The direct effect of contractual flexibility on project success is positive; the corresponding indirect effect is negative. The direct effect is greater than the corresponding indirect effect.Research limitations/implications: Different types of conflicts may mutually transform to extent certain degree. However, this study did not address the potential influence of conflict transformation on project success. The results implied that more emphasis should be placed on contractual terms, particularly on developing flexible terms in the contractual document, when implementing megaprojects. Meanwhile, this study reveals the effects of conflicts on project success in megaprojects, which provides a useful reference for project stakeholders to avoid the negative effect of conflicts.Practical implications: This study provides a better understanding of the relationship between contractual flexibility, types of conflicts in megaprojects and a reliable reference for the project manager to effectively deal with these related issues. This implies the contracting parties strengthen communication and cooperation to establish a trust mechanism, while reducing the negative influence of project conflicts and enhancing the positive effect of contractual flexibility.Originality/value: Few studies have investigated the effects of contractual flexibility on conflict and project success in megaprojects; this study contributes significant theoretical and practical insights to contract management and conflict management and provides a reliable reference to achieve project success.

Construction professionals are prone to work-family conflict and job burnout, which in turn can affect project performance during implementation of delivery. To cope with this, a questionnaire survey was undertaken with construction professionals in the Chinese construction industry and 373 valid responses were received. A theoretical model introducing organizational support as a moderating variable was developed and tested with structural equation modeling. The results showed that there is a positive correlation between work-family conflict and job burnout for construction professionals. Involving organizational support can alleviate the impact of work-family conflict on professionals’ job burnout. Meanwhile, both work-family conflict and job burnout have negative effects on project performance. Therefore, an atmosphere and culture of humanized management should be established within the construction enterprises. Additionally, organizational incentives such as regulations and rules should be formulated assisting employees achieve work-family balance. Such incentives could contribute to the construction industry and improve project performance. Furthermore, this study provides a new theoretical perspective for the management of job burnout and work-family conflict in the construction industry, complementing the existing body of knowledge.